Pain Management

[MercyL]

Hi there and welcome to the forum. I take Neurontin for pain medication. It works well when combined with other medications and is not addictive.
I am allergic to most of the meds they have for fibro, so I use the neurontin with Excedrian Migraine pills. I think that if you can reduce the stress in your life as much as possible, that alone will help reduce your pain.

When we find out we have fibro often times we still think we can multi-task or think that by getting as much done as possible in one day will somehow make life easier. All it does is make our muscles tighter to the point they can not relax and the tighter they are the more we hurt. Learn to pace yourself and not expect everything to get done in a day, or a week. Stop being a perfectionest and do what you can and let the rest go.

That is much harder to do then you think because most of us are good workers and try to do as much as we can without stopping to take a rest. But with fibro you must relax or you will be in constant pain. Relax by watching movies or children at play. Read a good book or take a nap. Take a slow walk in the park and enjoy nature. Don't speed walk just go slow and enjoy yourself. Start a new hobby or pick up an old one. Take bubble baths. etc....

Hope some of this helps you, or gives you ideas on how to slow down and smell the roses. Have a good day!

The most difficult type of patience to have is the patience we should have with ourselves.

I catch myself getting physically tense when I concentrate on a task for more than 20 minutes at a time. That sounds pretty long but after 10 minutes I start feeling those little twitches and tics in my torso as the muscles start objecting.

This is a huge improvement because I have learned to listen to my body to catch things before the pain broke through to get my attention. I used to squirm while seated at the computer, beyond 10 minutes, as the pain grew more intense and my brain would keep saying "do two more, then take a break".

I would look up, only to find I'd been telling myself that for a full 2 hours before I absolutely had to stop and take that break!

 

[1sweed]

mercyl, I am at that place right now only it is being tired and trying hard to stay awake. I write a word or two and pause then next thing I know there is a long space between firest and last words, because I am sleeping again. But the weather has been the cause of it. Weather that is very cold and rainy so to cause bad pains in my leg muscles and joints. I have been using the warm bath cure. what works for you?

 

[fibrogal]

I had 2 injections at a PM, and while it did help with all-over pain, the relief only lasted for about 5-6 weeks. To me, that's not worth the risks.

 

[MercyL]

mercyl, I am at that place right now only it is being tired and trying hard to stay awake. I write a word or two and pause then next thing I know there is a long space between firest and last words, because I am sleeping again. But the weather has been the cause of it. Weather that is very cold and rainy so to cause bad pains in my leg muscles and joints. I have been using the warm bath cure. what works for you?

Before trying warm showers - I hate baths - I have to stop moving around and concentrate on mentally isolating my muscle groups, then relaxing each group. Then, if I can take a Flexeril, I will take the available dose, then slowly work on getting up, and starting the shower.

I have to do all of this extremely slowly to keep the muscles from locking up, triggering several days of break through pain.

I usually feel better after completing this process, but I cannot go back to what I was doing. The medication helps me manage, but I still have to be very careful. The muscle spasms will still return if I keep pushing myself!

 

[cinderr]

Hi. I could not speed walk, if I tried. Cannot even walk to the corner and often can't walk to my truck in the parking lot. Not a chance in this world I could take a bath. If I got down, there would be no getting back up!
I have methods of relaxation, a few, that I can do though. Reading of course, is a relaxer. Writing is a relaxer for me. Working on here seems relaxing. After awhile all computer work hurts one section of my body or another so I have to lie down a bit. Those slot machine games online, seem to relax me--just for fun, not for money.
I have three tv shows that I watch besides breakfast with Drew Carey every morning. They are all crime dramas which CAN cause anxiety so I just turn the channel. These shows certainly have gotten graphic, dontcha think? I prefer they just allude to blood and gore and the unthinkable things people do to one another.

 

[cinderr]

I agree even showering is an ordeal--a bath is impossible. I only shower about every other day anymore. It takes a heck of a lot out of me and I am forced to sit on the side of the tub during these showers. It is the kidney area that aches mercilessly when I shower. It is a lengthy process and one I do not look forward to!
Fortunately, I don't work, I don't sweat, and I am rarely intimate so the rarity of my showers is not a problem.

 

[1sweed]

I understand your concerns reguarding tub baths. I took showers for years as it was quicker and easier, and not having to worry if I could get out without help. Since I moved back to PA, however, my balance has been a issue and now the place I am renting has no shower bar to hold on too and no place to attach a good one. I don't trust those stick-on ones to hold me steady.

But as you say getting out is an issue. So I usually call a family member and tell them I am going to take a tub bath. That way if I don't call them back in an hour, they call me or come to check on me. Another idea is to use a plastic stool or chair and run water in the tub and splash it over your body. That way works if you wanted to add epson salts to the water and mix it up. Then drain off the water and rinse with a short shower.

I have one of those handle attachments that is hooked to the side of my tub. It helps me get up from a kneeling position. If nothing else works just shower. I realize not all of us are able to take a dip in the tub anymore.

 

[csmith225]

Well my friends, I have resorted to go back to my PM, and we will be doing an epidural of the lower back and a occipital nerve block on the right side of head for my head pain that is coming back. I can say occipital nerve block helped for 4 months I forgot that I had pain there and what it felt like until this past week and a half as it gradually started to come back. Now this epidural really needs to work because I'm so tired of dealing with this pain. No matter what I do, matter of fact I don't have to do anything and it hurts lol! So here I go next week I will have the procedure and I have to have the epidural in a series of 3. I will post here to let everyone know how it has helped me or not help me.

Happy Sunday everyone and be Blessed!

 

[cinderr]

I am terrified of getting hooked on vicodin but they give me no options to use instead. I am wanting some injections but haven't been offered those either. Right now the physical pain is kicking my ass but awhile back, I was in deep depression mode. Now I am high and dry with vicodin until October. I could be good and hooked by then!

 

[cinderr]

I'll be watching; I need something better.

 

[csmith225]

Well as I promise, I will keep in touch and let everyone know how the injections going. I just got them today so the first 3-4 days I will be a little sore from the shots themselves. then after I should start to feel a little better. I do know the occipitol nerve block gives you more of a headache because of the slight pressure from the shot, so I expect like the last time to have more eye/head pain then it will subside. I will keep posting, hopefully I don't forget because the fibro fog has been terrible for me this week

 

[csmith225]

I'm 5 days in and feeling somewhat better, meaning the epidural for my lower back I felt immediate relief in the intensity of the pain. Now am I totally free of back? No still have pain but it is much tolerable. My PM doctor said that the epidural may help with my leg pain as well, welllllll a little, but my left knee is hurting.

No more headaches right now. I do believe that when pain is helped in one area, then other areas that are hurting during the same time feels stronger :neutral:

 

[Valery]

Neurontin is addictive. It's a synthetic opioid. They say antidepressants aren't addictive also. Try to stop. I've wanted to get off low dose Paxil for years. Tried once. Got so moody and emotional. Awful. So I'm still on it.